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 The lava flow from the Kilauea volcano has been slithering toward
the Big Island village of Pahoa for weeks, although it slowed to a
turtle's pace on Thursday and at last watch had advanced only a few
feet (meters) over several hours, said Darryl Oliveira, director of
Hawaii County Civil Defense.
"The activity on the flow front is very inactive, very sluggish,"
Oliveira told reporters.
The lava threatens to destroy homes and cut off a road and a highway
through Pahoa, but officials have not offered any predictions on
when exactly it could bisect the town of about 800 residents at the
site of an old sugar plantation.
No homes have been destroyed so far, and a finger of lava that
threatens one house on the edge of town has not crept closer to it
since Wednesday night, Oliveira said.
Some 83 National Guard troops arrived on Thursday in the community,
where some residents have expressed concern about potential looters
targeting evacuated homes. The troops, who are at checkpoints in
town, were cheered by residents who waved and walked up to start
conversations.
"These are local troops, people from the community. They'll be here
working to take care of their family and friends," Oliveira said.
The glowing leading edge of the lava flow, which can reach
temperatures of about 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit (1,149 degrees
Celsius), is about 155 yards (meters) from Pahoa Village Road, the
main street through town, officials said.
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Residents of about 50 dwellings in what civil defense officials
called a "corridor of risk" have been asked to be ready to leave. At
this stage, 10 to 15 homes lie in the direct path of the lava's
leading edge, which measures about 60 yards (meters) across,
officials said.
In another challenge, authorities say the lava could take down power
poles and leave residents without electricity, and one pole was
already surrounded by lava but still stands, a spokeswoman for the
local utility said.
Kilauea has erupted continuously from its Pu'u O'o vent since 1983,
with its latest lava flow beginning on June 27. The last home
destroyed by lava on the Big Island was at the Royal Gardens
subdivision in Kalapana in 2012.
(Reporting by Karin Stanton; Writing by Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by
Cynthia Johnston, Eric Beech and Sandra Maler)
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